I know I'm not the only one here who has watched the Biggest Loser. I am also not the only one noticing the insanely high numbers of weight loss (usually anywhere from 4-20 lbs a week). The first week this makes sense for the water weight, but they somehow pull consistently high numbers.

Now, I'm not seeking high numbers like that, but it seems impossible to me. Everything I know about weight loss says that shouldn't happen. If a pound is 3500 calories there seems like there is no way for the math to work out. Yah, these people are working out a lot and not eating much, but that just doesn't seem possible. There has to be a common sense explanation.

Does someone here know how to explain this? I'm sure Steve does :-)

i've never watched the show but i'd be willing to bet that they're doing a very low calorie, with a high level of exercise... I'm not sure it's the healthiest way to lose weight but to see someone drop 2lbs a week isn't exactly good entertainment...

LOL, no, constant steady work isn't good TV.


It just seems to me like it would take something like a 5000-10000 calorie daily deficit for the 10-20 pound weight loss that some pull week after week. That seems impossible.

i guess if you had nothing else to do but work out....

It just shows that it is possible. What about gastric bypass surgery, how fast does a person lose with that?

a person loses weight quickly after that surgery as well - but part of that is that they are also put on a very restrictive diet after it and cannot eat large quantities...

Even though I hate that show (and I know some people find it really inspiring) I do end up watching it every season. I'd love to know exactly how few calories they have those people eating. A while back I went on their "official" website and they have a little area you can plug in your stats and they give you a suggestion of how many calories you should be taking in...I did it just for the heck of it....at the time I was losing weight steadily at 1800-1900 cals, they suggested my calories should be 1400??????

I downloaded and watched 1st episode of this seaons "The Biggest Looser" show and there were folks loosing 20, 30 and one guy lost 39 pounds in ONE WEEK. How is this even possible.

I'm sure they were on severe dietary restrictions (although they don't talk AT ALL about diet on that show, at least not yet). And the folks level of fitness was so low, I can't see how they would be able to work out 24 hours per day.

I was just incredulous when I saw 39 pounds. I don't see how it's humanly possible - or safe.

I have to watch it with my fast forward button, because to add perceived drama, they stretch a weigh-in out to 5 minutes. Beep, Beep, Beep, with the number jumping all over the place. Please. The whole show should be summed up with an intro show and and final show that shows weight loss and how they did it!

For the pre-show weigh-in, the contestants are encouraged to eat much more than normal (one last big blow-out before starting), which artificially inflates their weight. First-week losses are a combination of returning to "normal," water weight loss due to increased hydration, water weight loss due to reduced glycogen stores (from weighing after a workout), and actual fat loss.

That giant abnormal loss in Week 1 is why Week 2 has such comparatively dismal numbers.

Also, the "weeks" aren't 7 days long. IIRC, some of them are actually 14 days between weigh-ins.

My recollection is also that they have a very restrictive suggested diet, and work out at least 4 hours a day. So they very well could be pulling huge deficits.

the large weight loss is because the people are pretty darned large. They use more calories just being alive (4000+)
plus they exercise for about 4 hours a day. If you want the diet info i found it a few years back and put it on my website Biggest Loser Techniques :: Free Simple Easy Weight Loss

Maybe they tried a non-surgical operation. There are some new procedures that makes you loose weight without doing to much...

just a wild guess, but they could be thin people in fat suits...tv's not above doing that kind of stuff, and i have seen specials where people would wear realistic fat suits

i love that show

They eat 1200-2000cal depending on the person. They work out 4-7 hours a day. I love the show. It's inspiring, and seeing people 400+lbs work out for that long, is VERY inspiring.

I agree with you Ben. When I'm sitting on the couch thinking if I should do some exercise or not, I think about the people on the show. Maybe it's easier when you got a trainer and all those high tech machines and stuff like they do, but you still got to get up and move. Seeing how they work out for ages at that weight and under all that pressure, defintley gets me moving too.